Poverty

Twenty-eight percent of Philadelphians live in poverty, making it among the poorest of America’s large cities. In this project, we examine the city’s struggle with poverty We’ll talk to those suffering through poverty and those trying to address it. We’ll try to come up with answers. But most importantly, we’ll turn to you for input. Scroll down for complete news coverage; click the Discussion tab to share your thoughts and ideas.

Poverty

Twenty-eight percent of Philadelphians live in poverty, making it among the poorest of America’s large cities. In this project, we examine the city’s struggle with poverty We’ll talk to those suffering through poverty and those trying to address it. We’ll try to come up with answers. But most importantly, we’ll turn to you for input. Scroll down for complete news coverage; click the Discussion tab to share your thoughts and ideas.

The Philabundance Community Kitchen teaches people how to cook, but it’s more than a culinary school. Solomon Jones reports on a program that has lifted people out of poverty by also teaching them about life.

Edwin Desamour spent eight years in prison for murder. Now, he and other ex-offenders are on a mission to make sure a new generation does not follow that path. Solomon Jones writes about the energetic founder of the group called MIMIC.

The number of people being turned away from emergency shelter in Philadelphia has tripled in just three years, despite data that shows the number of homeless has remained steady. Isaiah Thompson reports on a troubling trend.

When it comes to the effects of the recession, Philadelphia is like a boxer who just went 10 rounds. The fight may be over, but the poor guy is still woozy and has a lot of painful bruises. Tom Ferrick tells the numbers behind the story.

The pantry was created by the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger based on its research showing that 70 percent of families who use food pantries here suffer from diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension.

Say poverty in the Philadelphia area, and it conjures images of North Philadelphia or Kensington, not the suburbs. But the suburbs on both sides of the Delaware River are becoming steadily poorer, part of a national trend that confounds long-held beliefs that life is always better in greener pastures beyond urban limits.

The face of homelessness in Philadelphia is a changing phenomenon as more and more youths are struggling on the streets, fighting poverty with no place to go. Even though the economy is looking up, many families are still trying to get back on their feet. In some cases, it is their kids that are left to fend for themselves.